We have driven past Quebec City almost every summer for the last ten years on our way to visit my sister and her family in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Last summer we decided to stop and stay in Quebec City for a couple days on our way to the East Coast. If you are planning a trip to Canada’s East Coast from the Toronto area, Quebec City is an absolutely beautiful place to visit and it is a perfect place to stop and break up the trip.
Driving to Quebec City from the GTA
If you are driving to Quebec City from the Greater Toronto Area, it’s about an 8 hour drive. We decided to accomplish this by getting up (very) early in the morning so we could arrive in Quebec by early afternoon. The drive is fairly straight forward across the 401 through Ontario until you get close to Montreal. If you are starting from the west side of Toronto, I highly recommend taking the 407 toll route (if you don’t mind paying the fees) to avoid the congestion across the GTA. The 401 can be extremely busy with trucks, even early in the morning.
Driving directions from Toronto to Quebec City, Quebec
Our favourite place to stop for lunch on our way through Quebec is at St. Hubert. If you have never tried St. Hubert, it is similar to Swiss Chalet (rotisserie chicken, ribs, special sauce) but some how better – at least in our opinion! Once you cross into Quebec from Ontario, you will see signs for St. Hubert sit down restaurants at almost every exit. However, our favourite place to stop is at a service centre in St. Hyancinthe (just past Montreal) that has a St. Hubert quick service counter. The rest stop also has a large gas bar, rest rooms and a large convenience store.
Quebec City Hotels
There are several hotel choices when staying in Quebec City. I highly recommend staying in Old Quebec if you can. I chose to book the boutique style Hotel Clarendon and it ended up being perfect for our stay. Hotel Clarendon was conveniently located within walking distance to many attractions. It is a beautiful historic building and is one of the oldest hotels in Quebec.
Hotel Clarendon, Quebec City, Quebec
Quebec City’s flagship hotel, however, is of course the Fairmont, Le Chateau Frontenac. This is a spectacular hotel with breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and Old Quebec City.
Sightseeing in Quebec
There is so much to see and do when visiting Old Quebec. Quebec City dates back to 1608 and much of this history is visible with Old Quebec’s fortified core. The city is full of old stone buildings and narrow, winding cobblestone streets. While the city is very walkable, you’ll want to make sure to have good shoes and that everyone in your party is steady on their feet. Upper and Lower Quebec are connected by a large staircase. There is also a funicular to make the area more accessible. The Petit Champlain district in the lower town is claimed to be one of the oldest commercial areas in North America.
We were only in Quebec for a day and a half but we could have spent much more time there. So much of Canada’s history is abundant in the area including the Plains of Abraham. There are more than thirty National Historic sites in Quebec City and the surrounding area.
While this was a just a short stay, we will definitely drive to Quebec City again – hopefully some time soon!
Last summer we decided to extend our road trip with a stop in Boston, Massachusetts for a few days on our way home from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Boston is a beautiful and very historic US city and a great place for families to visit in the summer months. This was our second trip to Boston – the first was about 10 years ago when our kids were much younger.
The driving distance to Boston from the greater Toronto area (GTA) is approximately 8 hours and is completely manageable in a day. We were on our way home from Nova Scotia, but the most direct route to drive from Toronto to Boston is to cross the border into the US at Niagara Falls and then drive along the I-90 across western New York.
Drive from Oakville, ON to Boston, MA
Where to stay in Boston?
Boston is an extremely walkable city. We have stayed at a few different hotels, the most recent being the Hilton Faneuil Hall which is now the Dagny Hotel Boston. This was a great location and close to many well known Boston attractions including Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, the New England Aquarium and more. We actually spent the first night of our trip in the Seaport District but decided to change locations to be closer to the attractions we wanted to see. When our kids were younger, we enjoyed a previous stay at the Omni Parker House (home to the original Boston Cream doughnut). This is a beautiful old hotel (though the rooms were very small). There are many hotels to choose from when booking your trip but I would definitely prioritize location! I always check Tripadvisor in advance to read the recent reviews and traveller photos.
What to do in Boston…
There are so many things to do in Boston. One of my favourite ways to see a new city is with a Hop on Hop off tour. There are a couple options for this type of tour in Boston that will take you to all the historic landmarks and popular tourist sites. It’s also a great mode of transportation for getting around the city. Tickets are typically valid for either 24 hours or 48 hours. I recommend checking Tripadvisor in advance for a tour company or booking this with the concierge at your hotel.
On our last trip we visited many of the sites along Boston’s historic Freedom Trail including Boston Common, the Granary Burying Ground (final resting place of Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Paul Revere and others) and the Paul Revere House. The Freedom Trail is a 2.5 mile walk that is mostly marked by red brick and there are a number of guided tours throughout the day.
Paul Revere House
We also visited the New England Aquarium, Quincy Market, the Cheers Bar and the pro shop at TD Garden. If there is a specific tourist attraction you want to see, I would recommend purchasing tickets in advance or checking with the concierge at your hotel. Many attractions also offer AAA/CAA discounts. Make sure to ask about this!
For sports fans, Boston is home to the iconic Fenway Park. Fenway is about a 30 minute walk from the Faneuil Hall area. If you are not there for a game but still want to see the park they offer tours throughout the day.
What to Eat in Boston?
There are so many delicious options for places to eat when visiting Boston. If you are looking for something quick, there are a number of vendors within Quincy Market selling lobster rolls, chowder, pizza, pastries and other delicious treats. For dinner, I recommend either seafood or Italian in Boston’s North End. We had a great meal at Limoncello. The North End (Boston’s Little Italy) is also the home to the famous Mike’s Pastry. These pastries are so good there is always a line up of tourists and locals alike.
If you have a specific restaurant in mind, I recommend making a reservation in advance either by contacting the restaurant directly or using Open Table.
Overall, we highly recommend Boston as a great destination for a family road trip. The drive can be done in a day and you will not be disappointed when you arrive at your destination!
This summer we took an amazing road trip, driving from our home in the greater Toronto area to “The Most Magical Place on Earth” and one of our favourite all time destinations – Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. It had been five years since our last trip to the house of mouse and Disney did not disappoint! If you have ever considered driving to Walt Disney World from the Toronto area, it can be a great experience.
Driving to Florida from the greater Toronto area is just under a 20 hour road trip. While I know many people who choose to drive from the GTA to Florida straight through, we decided to break the trip up over a few days. If you are driving to Disney from Toronto, the quickest route is to cross the border in Niagara Falls (though you can also cross at Windsor and take the I-75 south). We chose to cross in Niagara Falls as we know the route well and it’s a little bit shorter. My son was also playing in a tournament in the Falls the weekend we planned to leave so it made more sense for us to go from there.
Whenever we cross the border in the Niagara Falls area, I always check the border wait times on the U.S. Customs & Border Services website, and we also rely on our GPS (either google maps or Waze) to let us know the best place to cross between the Peace Bridge, the Rainbow Bridge and Lewiston Bridge. In most cases, when heading further south, crossing at the Peace Bridge into Buffalo is the most direct route. From there you’ll take the I-90 west towards Erie, PA and I-79 South towards Pittsburgh.
Because of my son’s tournament, our first day of travel started in the afternoon. We left Niagara Falls around 3pm and drove for about 5 hours to Morgantown, West Virginia. We weren’t sure how far we were going to travel the first day so we were kind of playing it by ear… we knew there would be places to stay around Pittsburgh and further south, and I checked ahead of time on my Hilton Honours app to make sure there was availability. We almost exclusively stay at Hilton properties when we travel – most of the time selecting Hampton Inn. We find the service and the cleanliness is pretty consistent at most Hampton Inn locations – and it pays to stick with one hotel brand as much as possible in order to collect points. Based on our family road trip activity (plus tournament stays over the year), we had enough points to redeem for our two hotel stays on the way to Disney.
The next day was our longest drive with nine hours of driving time. I had already made a reservation (at a Hampton Inn of course) in Savannah, Georgia for the second night of our trip. I chose Savannah because it’s about a four hour drive from Savannah to Walt Disney World, and I picked a Hampton Inn location that was just off the interstate. I had planned this so an 8am departure would have us arriving at Disney’s Beach Club Resort by noon. Savannah is a beautiful and historic city that we have visited before, however, this time we stayed just off the I-95 so that we would be ready to go in the morning.
We arrived at Disney’s Beach Club Resort the next day around noon as planned. The Beach Club is our favourite Walt Disney World Resort Hotel. The hotel is absolutely beautiful and has an amazing pool area – complete with a water slide, lazy river and sand bottom pool for little ones. While I will often look at prices and availability on Disney’s website, I always book our Disney World stays through a travel agent. Our favourite Disney Travel agent is Kirsten at Pure Magic Vacations. Using a travel agent does not cost extra (in fact – a travel agent is usually aware of the best deals and promotions), and travel agents are a wonderful resource in planning your trip – especially if it is a first time stay.
Pool area at Disney’s Beach Club Resort Hotel, Walt Disney World Resort in Florida
Overall the drive seemed pretty easy – especially as we were all very excited about getting to our destination. If you are considering driving to Florida from the GTA, keep in mind that time of year makes a big difference. The drive is much easier in the summer as the weather is more predictable and there are more daylight hours. We have driven to Florida in the winter a couple times and personally I am not a fan of driving through the mountains in the dark.
Depending on how you decide to break up the drive, there are a number of places to stop and stretch along the route. As a shopper, I always enjoy a stop at the Grove City Premium Outlets in Grove City, PA (plus there is no sales tax in Pennsylvania!). There is also great shopping in the Cranberry, PA just north of Pittsburgh. One of our favourite rest stations is a place called Tamarack, in Beckley, West Virginia. This is a great place to stop and stretch your legs. It is an indoor marketplace for local artisans and also serves delicious homemade hot meals cafeteria style. It has been a family favourite stop for years. We also us the “search along route” function frequently on google maps to look for our favourite stops that are not available at home including Olive Garden, Chick-fil-A, Sonic and Panera Bread. We look for locations that are right off the highway or close to our stop for the night.
Although we will sometimes drive until we’re tired, if you are travelling during a busy time of year I highly recommend planning your stops ahead of time to make sure you have a place to stay for the night. Again, we find it’s always best to stick with one hotel brand/chain whether it’s Hilton, Marriott, IHG, etc. in order to earn points for your stays. I will always research hotels on tripadvisor.ca but when I book I always book through the hotel brand directly (either through the Hilton Honors app, the Marriott Bonvoy app or the IHG app). Booking through the app almost always guarantees the best price and the best cancellation terms if your plans change.
Once we arrived at Disney World, we had an amazing vacation. It was extremely hot (I guess that was to be expected for Florida in July), but we still made sure to do all the things! We visited all the parks, Disney’s Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Epcot, we rode and LOVED all the new rides since our last visit (plus the old ones too), we had our fair share of Dole whip from Aloha Aisle (plus plenty of other Disney treats). We also thoroughly enjoyed our time at Disney’s Beach Club Resort – our favourite Walt Disney World hotel.
Cinderella’s Castle – Disney’s Magic KingdomWalking towards Spaceship Earth, EPCOTDisney’s Animal KingdomTower of Terror, Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Driving to Disney from the Greater Toronto Area can be a great experience. When making your decision to fly or drive there are a number of considerations to keep in mind:
The total number of travellers and the price of flights - Flight prices fluctuate and there are often good deals available (especially if you are willing to fly out of Buffalo). However, with three or more travellers, the cost of driving will almost undoubtedly be lower, even when you factor in your hotel stays and the current high price of gas. This past summer there were also a number of cancelled flights and a strike that impacted air travel.
The time of year (both for weather and daylight driving hours) – Driving to Florida in the spring/summer is typically a much better experience than in the winter months. A significant portion of the drive is through the mountains and while we have done this drive several times now, I much prefer the trip in the daylight than the dark. You also never know what type of weather you might encounter in the winter. If you choose to drive to Disney over Christmas or March Break, just make sure you are prepared for winter driving conditions (for us this is always worse on the way home!)
Total time available for your trip – If you have a limited number of days, flying might be your best option. However, if you have a couple extra days to spend to get to and from your destination, driving is a great way to spend quality family time together and to make lasting memories.
Whether or not you will need a car when you arrive – If you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel and you plan to spend your vacation at Disney, you will not need a rental car. There is transportation available from all the Walt Disney World hotels to all the Disney parks and Disney Springs shopping and entertainment area. However, it’s also good to know that if you drive and you are staying at a Disney hotel that your parking is free for the length of your stay.
This was a fantastic family road trip. We had a great time both on the journey and when we got to our destination. Walt Disney World is truly a magical place. Despite just getting back, we are already thinking about our next visit to the most magical place on earth!!!
I haven’t posted anything on this site for a while – a long while. It has been four months now that we have been staying close to home and practising physical distancing. Sadly, that means that there are no big road trips in our immediate future. This will be the first summer in ten years that we are not packing up and venturing east to Cape Breton – our favourite home away from home.
I have realized over the last few months how much we took for granted hopping in the car and heading to some of our favourite spots for summer fun – Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, OH, Zehnders Splash Village in Frankenmuth, MI, or Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, ON.
Personally, I am longing for a shopping trip to Grove City, PA or Birch Run, MI. My husband is lamenting the fact that he won’t be able to attend the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit, and the kids just want to go to Canada’s Wonderland. But, we are staying home for the greater good and trying to make the most of our staycation.
We purchased some fun big floaties for my Dad’s pool, and we’ve been sampling all the local ice cream stores. We’re planning to get away for a week in August (still in Ontario) and we are all looking forward to that.
Once things open, I don’t think we’ll ever take for granted the freedom to eat in a restaurant, ride a roller coaster or browse in a gift shop – touching all the touristy tchotchkes.
We are also keeping a list of all the places we want to go once we can. We have friends and relatives to visit and new adventures to explore. We are also wondering when we will get back to the most magical place on earth… likely not for a while.
In the meantime we’ll keep exploring the wonder that’s around us and we’ll keep compiling a list of the places we plan to go once we can. Summer just doesn’t feel like summer without a road trip, but we are 100% for doing what’s needed to keep ourselves and all Canadians healthy and safe.
Our family loves a fun filled weekend at an indoor waterpark hotel. Now that our kids are a bit older and busy with their competitive sports activities it doesn’t happen quite as often, but we have visited many great (and not so great) waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto over the years.
So, what is the best indoor waterpark hotel within driving distance of Toronto (or Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton)? We’ll give you the list of our favourite waterpark hotels that are close enough for a fun, family weekend getaway. This list is based on our own personal experience of waterparks that we have visited.
Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls makes for a fantastic family weekend getaway. From the moment you walk in the door, you are immersed in the Great Wolf Lodge themed hotel complete with animatronic wildlife and a cozy log cabin feel. Great Wolf Lodge checks all the boxes for a superior weekend getaway. The waterpark itself is large with multiple waterslide options for all ages. This includes smaller slides and a play area for younger kids as well as larger waterslides for teens and grown ups.
Great Wolf Lodge – Niagara Falls, Ontario
There is more to do at Great Wolf Lodge than just the waterpark. There is a large arcade / games room as well as indoor laser tag. In the summer months there’s an outdoor pool and mini golf as well. You can also purchase wands for the kids to play an interactive Quest game throughout the hotel. At night there is even a story time and family dance. Everything at the hotel is in the Great Wolf theme.
There are a few different restaurant options at Great Wolf Lodge. There is a pizza place and take out counter / bakery on the lower level close to the waterpark plus a large family restaurant just off the main lobby. My kids absolutely LOVE the Great Wolf Lodge dinner buffet and being able to select what they want to eat. The buffet has several kid friendly options such as chicken fingers, fries and mac and cheese plus more savoury entrees for other diners.
Is Great Wolf Lodge worth the price? How much is it to go to Great Wolf Lodge? Well, it’s definitely not inexpensive. Standard hotel rates typically start at about $500 CAD per night. I recommend joining the Great Wolf Lodge mailing list to find out about promotions and/or discounts. you can also regularly check sites such as Groupon for deals. It’s typically less expensive to go mid-week or to include a Sunday night stay. If you work for a large corporation or belong to a professional association, see if your company/organization offers any promotions or discounts for Great Wolf Lodge (either corporate rates or through an employee discount / association) as these deals are typically less expensive.
What’s great about Great Wolf Lodge Niagara Falls? Proximity to the Greater Toronto Area (1 hour or less depending on where you live), fantastic theming throughout the hotel, large waterpark, other activities within the hotel. Lots of other things to do in Niagara Falls.
What’s the downside? While there are slides for all ages, at 11 and 13 our kids felt they had outgrown Great Wolf Lodge. It’s also a pricey weekend away and the lines can be long.
On a side note, there are Great Wolf Lodge locations across the United States, however, they are not all the same. Several years ago we decided to take advantage of a fantastic Groupon offer for Great Wolf Lodge in Sandusky, Ohio. While the hotel was nice and clean, the waterpark itself was a small fraction of the size of Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls and suited more towards younger kids. While you might find a deal at another location, the experience may not be quite the same as Niagara Falls.
While Frankenmuth is a couple hours further away from the GTA than Niagara Falls, Zehnder’s Splash Village is an easy #2 on our list of best waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto. Zehnder’s Splash Village is located in the quaint town of Frankenmuth, Michigan. This is about a 4 hour drive from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and the town has a lot offer.
The waterpark at Zehnder’s Splash Village is large and comparable to Great Wolf Lodge in many ways. The original side of the waterpark has two tube slides, a lazy river and a large play structure for little ones, including some smaller slides. The atrium on the newer side of the waterpark has a unique “fast river”, a sports pool, and two fast, thrill type slides. One is a “drop” style slide for single riders and the other is a large (fast) raft ride for up to four people. The new side of the water park is a large, bright atrium surrounded by pool side hotel rooms.
There is a casual restaurant inside the hotel serving pizza and breakfast, etc. and Zehnder’s world famous chicken restaurant is just a few minutes down the street. This is known as the largest family restaurant in the United States. It’s an all you can eat chicken dinner served family style with soup, bread (with multiple spreads and dips), fried chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing, buttered noodles, vegetables and dessert. It is definitely a fun experience if you have never been there before. On the lower level of the restaurant is a large cafe / bakery with delicious sweets, treats and souvenirs.
Next door to Zehnders, Splash Village is Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland. This is the largest Christmas store in the world offering more than 50,000 different ornaments, trims and gifts. It is hard to describe if you haven’t been there and is most definitely worth a visit.
What’s great about Zehder’s Splash Village? The Waterpark has slides for all ages, the eat and stay package is great and the quaint town of Frankenmuth makes for a fun weekend.
What’s the downside? The drive is a bit further than Niagara Falls and it can be pricey in U.S. dollars.
If you were to ask my kids, they would probably say that Kalahari Resort in Sandusky, Ohio is their favourite waterpark destination hotel. Kalahari is a very large conference hotel with both an indoor and outdoor waterpark area. Sandusky, Ohio is about a 5 hour drive from Toronto. We visited for the third time earlier this summer.
Kalahari Resorts & Conventions – Sandusky, Ohio
Kalahari has both indoor and outdoor waterpark areas. While they have a number of slides inside, the outdoor waterpark is much newer and the slides are better. Inside there is a wave pool, body slides, multiple waters slides, a flowrider surf simulator and a large kids area. In my personal opinion, Kalahari is much better to visit in the summer months so you can take advantage of both the indoor and outdoor slides.
Inside there is also a large arcade, laser tag, spa and other activities for kids of all ages. Kalahari has multiple restaurants inside the hotel as well. There is an Italian restaurant that serves up massive servings of Italian favourites (spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, etc.), B-Lux grill and bar, a take out cafe and a large marketplace style breakfast buffet. For Canadians visiting Kalahari, there are also a number of favourite US chain restaurants within a 5 minute drive from the hotel including Olive Garden, Texas Roadhouse, Longhorn and Chilis.
If you are looking for more to do, Sandusky, Ohio is also home to Cedar Point. This is one of the most well known amusement parks in the United States. Cedar Point is part of the Cedar Fair group of parks (which also includes Canada’s Wonderland). This is a fantastic amusement park and only a 10 minute drive down the road.
How much is it to stay at Kalahari Resort? Like most waterpark hotels, it can be a pricey stay. Rates range from about $179 USD per night to over $300 USD. There is also a daily resort fee added to the price. It is a large hotel and in my opinion it is worth the price to request a balcony room to avoid being placed on the lower level of the resort.
What’s great about Kalahari Resort? It is likely the largest waterpark in the area with the greatest variety of slides. With three large restaurants and other activities there’s enough to keep the whole family busy. It’s also close to Cedar Point.
What’s the downside? The indoor waterpark is older and stuffy. The hotel can get very busy and the lines can be long. It is a 5 hour drive from the Greater Toronto Area.
The Fallsview waterpark is a good alternative to Great Wolf Lodge is you are planning a family weekend getaway in Niagara Falls. Rather than being located in a specific hotel, it is connected to multiple Niagara Falls hotels including the Sheraton Fallsview and the Crowne Plaza.
Fallsview Waterpark – Niagara Falls, Ontario Image Source: fallsviewwaterpark.com
The Fallsview waterpark is large with more than sixteen slides for both big and little kids. There is also a huge arcade in the Falls Avenue Resort as well as the very popular Rainforest Cafe. The Fallsview Waterpark is also located just two minutes from the Falls. There are tons of things to see and do in the area (go karts, mini golf, wax museums, etc.)
How much is it to go to the Fallsview Waterpark? The Fallsview Waterpark is significantly less expensive than some of the other options. Because the Waterpark isn’t part of one particular hotel, visitors can purchase a day pass. If you purchase online the price is approximately $40 CAD per person. There are also hotel packages at approximately $300-$400 CAD per night. Like most attractions, it’s always a great idea to get on the mailing list for access to special offers. I also suggest checking Groupon for deals – either at the Fallsview Waterpark or at other Niagara Falls attractions.
What’s great about Fallsview Waterpark? The most obvious pro for this waterpark is cost. If you get a great hotel deal in Niagara Falls and then purchase a day pass for the waterpark, it can be significantly less expensive than staying at nearby Great Wolf Lodge. The location also can’t be beat. The waterpark and connecting hotels are mere steps away from Niagara Falls and all the Clifton Hill attractions.
What’s the downside? The biggest downside is that it’s not a true waterpark hotel. Yes, it is connected to three different hotels, but it doesn’t have the same theming as a Great Wolf Lodge, Zehnders Splash Viallage or Kalahari including special events like story time. There are no rooms overlooking the hotel and you have to put on your shoes (and clothes) to get from your room to the waterpark. As a parent it makes be a bit more nervous keeping track of my kiddos in such a large and busy area vs. a more contained hotel waterpark.
Splash Lagoon deserves a spot on the list of best waterpark hotels within driving distance of Toronto, but it is definitely our number five. Splash Lagoon is in Erie Pennsylvania and conveniently located right off the I-90 west. It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Burlington/Oakville and 3 hours from Toronto. While it is not an official waterpark hotel, it is another example of a waterpark connected to multiple hotels including a Hawthorn Suites, Comfort Inn and Suites and Wyndham Garden Inn. There are also a number of other hotels and restaurants in close proximity.
The waterpark has several different slides, a wave pool, a flowrider surf simulator and a large, new kids treehouse type structure. There is also an arcade and go-karts and mini-golf across the road. The waterpark is on the older side but there have been some recent renovations and additions. The hotels are also a bit dated – I suggest looking at TripAdvisor and reading reviews before booking.
Erie is actually a great vacation destination for families. Not only is there Splash Lagoon, but the Erie Zoo & Botanical Gardens is fantastic (perfect for younger kiddos), there is also Waldameer Park & Water World, an amusement park and outdoor waterpark, plus beautiful beaches in Presque Isle State Park.
Splash Lagoon is located on Peach Street which is close to many popular restaurants and big box shopping. The biggest bonus is that there is no sales tax in Pennsylvania!!!
What’s great about Splash Lagoon? Splash Lagoon is more reasonably priced than Great Wolf Lodge and Kalahari. There is also a lot to do in Erie and the surrounding area.
What’s the downside? Again, it’s not a true waterpark hotel and the facility is a bit dated. Because they offer day passes, the waterpark can get quite busy.
That’s our list of the best waterpark hotels within driving distance of the Greater Toronto Area. What is your favourite waterpark hotel?
I
spent the day last Saturday with three of my favourite people doing one of my
favourite things – cross-border shopping! Growing up in south-western Ontario,
cross-border shopping was always one of my favourite back-to-school rituals. We
would usually go to Michigan – Port Huron, Troy, or the Birch
Run Premium Outlets and sometimes to Niagara Falls NY. The value of
the Canadian dollar compared the U.S. in the 1980’s was about the same as it is
today, but back then the thrill of back-to-school shopping in the U.S. was
going to stores that we didn’t have in Canada at the time (like The Gap and Old
Navy as well as the big U.S. Department Stores such as Nordstrom, Lord &
Taylor and J.C. Penny). The back-to-school sales in the U.S. were also a lot
better. However, today, with our own outlets malls (including most large U.S.
retailers), access to online shopping 24 hours a day, U.S. mailboxes and Amazon
Prime, you might wonder if cross-border shopping still worth it?
For me, cross-border shopping is about the experience. It’s about a fun road trip with your bestie, hubby, or kiddos and still scoring some pretty great deals. If you’re up for being away an entire weekend, it’s about fun family time or girl time and having one last summer weekend away before back-to-school.
Whenever I shop with my friend Patty, one of our favourite retail destinations in the U.S. is Kohl’s. Kohl’s is a great place for kids clothing, some women’s and men’s brands, linens, housewares and seasonal decor. For kids, they carry brands such as Carter’s/OshKosh, Chaps, Adidas, Nike, Disney and Under Armor, as well as others – including a couple of their own house brands. Kohl’s regularly has pretty decent sales, and they have regular promotions (pretty much every other weekend) that if you use your Kohl’s charge card, you can save an additional20-30% off. On top of that, you can sometimes earn $10 Kohl’s cash for every $50 spent (to be used a later date with no minimum purchase required).
Kohl’s store, Port Huron, Michigan
As a Canadian, you can open a Kohl’s charge in-store and get approved on the spot. However, whenever you use your Kohl’s card, make sure to pay it off right away in the store as otherwise it’s a pain to pay later on. Unfortunately, your Kohl’s account can’t be paid online from a Canadian bank account and it will cost you more to send a cheque by mail than to pay it immediately in-store.
Having
a Kohl’s charge is definitely worth it in order to receive the additional
20-30% off coupons. For example, these are some of the great deals I scored
this past weekend.
Boys Chaps golf shirt – regularly $20 on sale for $18, plus an additional 30% off for $12.59 USD. I got an even better deal on a boys white Chaps long sleeve dress shirt – regularly $30 for $12.59 USD.
Girls Adidas fashion jacket – regularly $45 on sale for $33.75. Not the best deal when you convert to Canadian dollars, but my daughter was in love with it and it’s still a good price for a fall jacket that she will likely wear every day.
Women’s Juicy Couture dress – regularly $58 on sale for $22.99 plus an additional 30% off for just $16.09.
In
total, I had 11 items for $172.24 USD. I “saved” $232.50 vs. regular
prices, and I also earned $30 in Kohl’s cash that I can spend in a couple weeks
(either in-store or online), with no minimum purchase required. Overall I was
pretty happy with my purchases, and what’s more important is the fun had and
memories made with my friend and our daughters.
Part of our cross-boarding shopping ritual always includes either lunch or dinner at one of our favourite U.S. restaurants. So, after a quick trip to Target, the girls chose the Olive Garden (no surprise there!).
The Olive Garden, Port Huron, Michigan
So, was it worth it? Yes! I got some really good deals and we had a great day shopping, laughing and lunching.
First things first, where to go? This is my list of what I consider to be the best places to go cross-border shopping.
Birch Run Premium Outlets, Birch Run, Michigan – I mostly like Birch Run because it makes for a great weekend away in nearby Frankenmuth (see my Frankenmuth post). It’s a large outlet mall with some great stores including the hard to find Pottery Barn/Williams Sonoma outlet.
Fashion Outlets, Niagara Falls, NY – the closest cross-border shopping to home, and lots of great stores to choose from – including my favourites (Ann Taylor, J.Crew, Kate Spade, etc.)
Walden Galleria, Buffalo, NY – large mall with great stores including Lord & Taylor, Macy’s and great restaurant options (Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang, Melting Pot, etc). I love department store shopping – especially for special occasion dress and shoe shopping. A great sale at a department store is often better than outlet mall shopping and the return policies are usually better.
Great Lakes Crossing, Auburn Hills, Michigan – a large indoor outlet mall with Legoland, Target and lots of hotel and restaurant options close by.
Somerset Collection, Troy, Michigan – The Somerset Collection is a large mall with both “regular” and high-end stores (think Gucci, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton) and both a Nordstrom’s and Neiman Marcus. It’s great for department store shopping and lots of really good restaurant options too – like California Pizza Kitchen and Capital Grille.
Grove City Premium Outlets – Grove City is about 4 hours from Oakville. The Premium Outlet mall has all the usual outlet stores – plus there is no sales tax in Pennsylvania!
Kohl’s or Target (anywhere!) – the closest Kohl’s location is in North Amherst, NY on Niagara Falls Blvd and there is a Target store right by the Fashion Outlets in Niagara Falls, NY.
More cross-border shopping tips!
If you are going outlet shopping, most outlet malls have a “savings passport” or coupon book available at customer service. Many of these require a CAA/AAA membership and have valuable coupons (10-20% off at most stores). They’re not deep discounts but help take the sting out of the exchange rate! Note – these savings books are also available with your CAA membership at Canadian outlets malls (including Milton and Niagara Falls).
Check for coupons and sign up for mailing lists for the stores you are planning to visit – again, even a 10-15% discount makes the exchange rate better.
To get the most out of cross-border shopping, try to hit stores we don’t have at home. Unless you are looking at clearance items, the deals at Banana Republic and Old Navy are usually just as good in Canada when you factor in the exchange rate.
If you are crossing the border from the GTA, check the border wait times before you go, or have your passenger do this en route. You have a few options between Queenston-Lewiston, the Rainbow Bridge and the Peace Bridge (depending on where you are going) and this can save time on your trip.
Stay within your personal exemption amount to avoid paying duty. This is $200 per person after 24 hours and $800 after 48 hours. Note there is $0 allowed for a same-day shopping trip. However, it’s best to always tell the truth and hope that you don’t have to pay duty (from my own personal experience it’s about a 50/50 chance but rarely have I had to pay if I spent under $200). Duty and taxes can be expensive on top of the exchange rate so plan ahead and decide how much you are going to spend assuming you might have to pay.
Fill up on gas. Even with the exchange rate, gas is still cheaper in the U.S. For example, at $2.82 USD/gallon, this works out to $0.74 USD/Litre. Based on today’s exchange rate, $0.74 USD is approximately $1.00 Canadian. So… depending on the price of gas at home, you can probably save 10-25 cents/litre. And, if you get stuck trying to pay at the pump because you’ve been asked for your zip code, just enter the 3 numbers of your postal code followed by “00”. So, if your postal code is L6M 1R4, you would enter 61400. It works and you can avoid going into a sketchy gas station store! Before I knew this, I used to always try 90210 as it was the only zip code I could think of (it never worked!)
So, again… is cross-border shopping worth it? It’s up to you. If you have fun and get a few deals, I say it is!
This past spring we travelled to Bowling Green, Kentucky to visit the National Corvette Museum (a destination my husband had been wanting to visit for a long time!).
Bowling Green Kentucky is about a ten-and-a-half hour drive from the Toronto area. The quickest route (according to Google maps) is to cross into the US at Windsor/Detroit and take the I-75 south to Bowling Green. The other option (which we chose to take because we wanted to make a couple stops along the way) is to cross the border at Fort Erie/Buffalo.
A 10-11 hour drive is doable in one day, however, we decided to leave after work on the first day (at approx 4pm) so we could get a few hours under our belts and have a shorter drive the second day. We stayed over night at the Home2Suites in Erie, PA (we only stay at Hilton properties to earn our Hilton Honors points). This was a great stop and made the drive the next day quite a bit shorter.
To be perfectly honest, the kids and I were not that interested in the Corvette museum. We were more focused on the second leg of our journey – a visit to Nashville, just 60 mins south. However, the Corvette museum was fantastic.
The kids loved all the cars – and there were cars on display everywhere. The museum had a great foot print and interesting, interactive displays.
Our only complaint was that the kids area in the museum was really small – and meant for much younger kids. At 9 and 7 we were way too big for most of the activities. However, the kids did enjoy changing the tires in the mini garage!
If you don’t know the history of the National Corvette Museum, five years ago, in 2014, part of the museum – including several extremely valuable corvettes – was “swallowed” by a sink hole.
The museum was re-built and most of the cars were rescued and restored. The sink hole site is on display – including a video with a re-enactment of the event. It was really interesting.
The boys also tried “driving” a corvette (in quotations because the car was stationary). You had to pay extra for this experience, however, it was pretty neat to drive a corvette in the museum. Note that there is also an outdoor track where you can have a real driving experience- either as the driver or as a passenger. The track isn’t open every day and the museum suggests arranging this in advance.
We arrived at the museum early to beat the crowds so by noon we were ready for lunch. We decided to try the restaurant onsite – the Corvette Cafe. The food was just so-so, however, the milkshakes were AMAZING. We watched the staff prepare the milkshakes using real ice cream and whipped cream – so good!!!
In the afternoon there was a car show in the museum parking lot – which meant more cars for hubby to look at while the rest of us patiently waited to return to the hotel…
Bowling Green was a really nice place to visit. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn (we almost exclusively stay at Hilton properties so we can collect our Hilton Honors points) and the Bowling Green HGI was great! Upon our arrival the previous night we were hungry and the hotel recommended we try the restaurant next door, Montana Grille (independently owned – not the chain). Our dinner was fantastic. The grown ups started with Kentucky bourbon watermelon cocktails and jalapeño cornbread right out of the oven. They had a number of delicious steak options (I believe I had the bourbon tenderloin filet) and you could choose to have it grilled over charcoal or hickory. So good!
Cape Breton is our all-time favourite summer destination. We have been travelling to Cape Breton every summer for the last 10 years – ever since my sister and brother-in-law moved to the beautiful Margaree area.
It’s about an 19 hour drive from Toronto (not including stops), but there are so many wonderful stops along the way and driving is a fantastic is a way to see Eastern Canada.
This past year, our driving strategy was to get up really early on the first day (like 4 am early) and be on the road before 5am. This worked out well as the kids slept in the car for most of the morning. We made it through Montreal before lunch! And whenever we are driving through Quebec, our favourite lunch or dinner stop is always St. Hubert!
We put in a full day of driving and made it all the way to Fredericton, New Brunswick on day one. This was important so we could arrive in the Margaree area mid afternoon on day two. We stayed at the Hampton Inn in Fredericton (as I mention in all my posts we almost always stay at Hilton properties to collect our Hilton Honors points. What’s great though, is that most of the Hampton Inns in the East have waterslides in their pool areas. This is a great way for kids to cool down and burn some energy after a long day spent in the car.
Waterslide at the Hampton Inn, Fredericton
After stopping for the night, we had a short six hour drive the following day. If you have never been to Cape Breton and the Cabot Trail, the landscape is stunning. We spend most of our time on the west side of the Island – between Inverness, Margaree and Cheticamp. The drive along the Cabot Trail is breathtaking and a trip into the Cape Breton Highlands National Park is a must-do.
Cape Breton Island
There are a number of scenic hikes through the Park, the most popular and most breathtaking being the Skyline Trail. It’s about a 7km hike (easy walking – mostly boardwalk), and the reward is this spectacular view. There’s also a chance of seeing some pretty impressive wildlife – including moose and whales. Because the hike is so popular, it’s best to try and go early in the morning or later in the day for a better chance of spotting wildlife. However, you want to make sure it’s a clear day so the clouds don’t obstruct this gorgeous view!
The Skyline Trail – Cape Breton Highlands National Park
View of the Cabot Trail
Cape Breton is also famous for having beautiful beaches. We spend almost every sunny day at the beach. Our favourite place is Chimney Corner beach where the kids will spend hours swimming, playing in the sand, and catching (and releasing) lobsters in their sand pails. Margaree Harbour Beach and Whale Cove beach are also beautiful beaches to visit in the same area.
Catching lobsters at Chimney Corner Beach
Chimney Corner Beach
Cape Breton is also famous for the music. While visiting Cape Breton, be sure to check out a ceilidh or concert over the course of your stay. One of our favourite stops is the “The Barn” at the Normaway Inn on Wednesday nights. Here you can hear some amazing Cape Breton fiddlers. If you are lucky enough to be in Cape Breton the last Sunday in July, you can attend The Broad Cove Scottish Concert – the biggest outdoor Celtic music concert anywhere.
The Barn at the Normaway Inn
And… of course, with any trip to Nova Scotia there is the food. If you are a seafood lover, there are so many opportunities for delicious lobster, mussels and chowder. Because we love it so much we’ll write more about our favourite stops in future posts. The first pic below is at Baddeck Lobster Suppers and the second is the Lobster Pound at the Island Sunset Resort. Both were absolutely delicious!!!
Baddeck Lobster Suppers
The Lobster Pound at the Island Sunset
We can’t say enough about how much we absolutely adore this beautiful island – a spectacular part of Canada!
This past spring, we took our first family road trip to Nashville, Tennessee and thoroughly enjoyed our visit to SoundWaves, the beautiful new water park at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Centre. Our family loves waterpark vacations and SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland is one of the best waterparks we have visited.
How long does it take to drive to Nashville from Toronto?
It’s about an 11 hour drive to Nashville from the Toronto area. We did the drive in two days as we had a few stops we wanted to make along the way (see my post on the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky). The drive from the GTA to Nashville is fairly straightforward. We took the slower route and crossed the border into the United States from Fort Erie, ON into Buffalo, NY. We chose this route based on a few stops we wanted to make along the way. However, the fastest route to drive to Nashville from Toronto is to take the 401 to Windsor and cross the border into Detroit, MI. From there, you would take the I-75 south towards Cincinnati. Then it’s the I-71 south to Louisville and finally the I-65 to Nashville.
Staying at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
This was our first time staying at the Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center in Nashville, and the hotel is huge. There’s a massive atrium with lush gardens throughout – several restaurants, shops and even a river boat cruise – all right in the hotel. It is truly a spectacular place. While it’s not downtown Nashville, our package included a free shuttle to the downtown area and other popular tourist attractions. If you are planning to visit the Grand Ole Opry during your stay, the good news is that it is right next door!
Because we absolutely love water park vacations, I upgraded our reservation to a “SoundWaves” package. SoundWaves is the water park in the hotel and it is not included in a regular stay. The indoor water park opened in November 2018, and the outdoor water park in May 2019 (the weekend before we arrived). When booking your stay, you need to add on the water park package. I always recommend booking reservations directly with the hotel on Marriott.com or through the BONVOY app to get the best price. SoundWaves packages can be pricey… I always look to see if there are any current marketing promotions that apply as well as checking for CAA or corporate discounts for Marriott Hotel Stays. Marriott also offers a special Breakaway Rate which is a 30% discount for employees who work at many large North American companies.
In my opinion, SoundWaves is one of the best waterpark hotel destinations. This is an absolutely beautiful water park. May was also a great time of year to visit Nashville. The weather was warm (especially given we’d had such a long, cold winter in Ontario). The indoor water park had some nice features including both a lazy river and a “fast” river, plus a “FlowRider” surf simulator – all with a music theme.
The outdoor area has an elegant resort-like feel. There was live music playing in the afternoon – and then a large video screen playing music videos above the wave pool. SoundWaves is described on the Gaylord Opryland website as an “upscale” water park – and that’s exactly what it is.
The only draw back was that the water slides at SoundWaves were just okay. The thrill factor didn’t compare to either Kalahari or Great Wolf Lodge, however, the ambiance at SoundWaves was amazing. We truly felt like we were on a relaxing resort vacation.
If you are looking for a relaxing resort-like water park experience, we highly recommend SoundWaves at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Driving to Nashville from the GTA was definitely worth it for this trip!
We discovered Kalahari Ohio a couple years ago and it has quickly become one of our favourite summer destinations.
Kalahari is located in Sandusky, Ohio. It’s about a 5 hour drive from the GTA west and makes for a great 2-3 day getaway. There are two options for driving to Kalahari – either driving towards Niagara and crossing at Fort Erie / Buffalo or taking the 401 to Windsor and crossing into the US at Detroit. It all depends on the time of day and the wait times at the border. I will usually check both Google Maps and Waze as well as the border wait times before we leave.
Driving to Kalahari in Sandusky, Ohio
While the hotel is open year round, we highly recommend visiting Kalahari over the summer months.
The indoor water park is large – with a number of great slides, a wave pool and a lazy river for the whole family to enjoy. However, our favourite slides hands-down are in the new outdoor water park. These slides are AWESOME. The outdoor water park opened in 2017 and features three “thrill” raft rides and two body slides (the first time I rode on the green raft ride I thought I was going to fly right out!). It’s tons of fun and if you’re like us, you’ll want to ride the slides over and over again. There is also a large outdoor pool and huge outdoor kiddie area.
Outdoor waterslides at Kalahari, Ohio
Also in the outdoor part of the park is a large ropes course. This is an extra activity that you need to pay for – though there are some packages that come with the ropes course included. This is another favourite activity for our kids (though I can’t stand to watch).
Kalahari outdoor adventure
When they’re done with the water park for the day, our kids’ second favourite place to be is the arcade. Kalahari has a huge arcade with tons of games plus indoor laser tag. This was our first experience playing laser tag as a family and the kids loved it!
Arcade at Kalahari
A two-night trip to Kalahari is not inexpensive – especially for Canadians given the current value of the dollar. However, if you sign up for their email list, there are a number of promotions that you can take advantage of over the course of the year. There are often deals for as low as $149 USD/night if you are flexible and can go mid-week. Note that there’s a nightly resort fee that’s added on top of this – be sure to look carefully before you book.
There are sometimes deals for Kalahari on Groupon – but I’ve found that the email offerS from the hotel itself are often better. Again, be sure to pay attention to any added fees on top of the room rate when you are comparing deals.
Kalahari also has a number of room options, including a variety of suites (many with full kitchens) if you’re travelling with a larger group. It’s a very large property (including a conference centre) so be sure to ask to have your room close to the water park (assuming that’s a priority).
There are a number of on-site dining options from the casual pizza take-out restaurant to a buffet restaurant and steak house. We’ve eaten at all three and they were all decent. However, if you want to leave the property, there’s also an Olive Garden and Texas Roadhouse right down the street.
There’s lots of fun frozen drinks in large souvenir cups for both adults and kiddies – as well as the decadent candy shop in the main lobby as soon as you enter the building (Including chocolate covered bacon).
If you are planning to stay in Sandusky for a couple days, it’s also the home of Cedar Point. I visited several times as a teenager but we haven’t ventured there yet as a family – maybe next summer!
Fun Family Road Trips 